Call for homes in back gardens made by Kildare local rep
One local rep said she wouldn't want her son “living in someone’s shed”.
THE construction of housing facilities in back gardens without planning permission was discussed as a solution to the housing crisis in Kildare.
Kildare county councillors set to write to the Minister for housing, local government and heritage James Browne on the matter of people being allowed to build detached residential dwellings in their back gardens.
The government have been considering an easing of planning regulations to allow larger unattached structures to be built in back gardens.
Reports earlier in the year indicated that the easing of regulations would be in place by the end of the year, but there has been no news as of yet.
At the most recent full meeting of Kildare County Council (KCC), cllr Tom McDonnell from Newbridge brought forward a motion asking that the council write to the minister “to approve an exemption for families to build detached residential dwellings (45 square metres) in their gardens without planning permission, to assist in the housing crisis”.
The motion was seconded by cllr Seamie Moore. Cllr McDonnell spoke on his motion at the meeting, commenting on the number of young Irish people living with parents and moving to places like Australia.
Cllrs Nuala Killeen, Noel Connolly and Chris Pender all cast doubt on the idea of new residential dwellings in back gardens as a solution to the housing crisis.
Cllrs Connolly and Pender were focused on the need for proper guidelines and regulations, whilst Cllr Killeen commented that she wouldn’t want her son “living in someone’s shed”.
Cllr McDonnell countered that the units would be more than just “a bed in a shed”.
A council representative contributed to the discussion by noting that regulation from government has yet to come on the matter. A report by Alan Dunney, director of services of planning, enterprise, economic development and emergency services at the council, was published in response to cllr McDonnell’s motion.
It detailed how a four-week consultation on updating the exempted development provisions was ran earlier this year across July and August, focusing on whether certain developments could be built without planning permission.
The consultation attracted over 900 submissions, which were primarily in support of modular or detached housing units up to 45 m² at the back of existing homes.
The report added that in September, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage indicated that considerations and drafting of final regulation, including a joint Oireachtas Committee review, are underway and need to be passed through both the Dáil and the Seanad. The final regulations have not yet been made law.
Cllr McDonnell reasserted his wish that the council write to the minister, with the conclusion to the discussion being that this letter would be written.
